No VAT on Safety - Join Our Campaign to Remove VAT from All EN-Stamped PPE

At Ultra Worx, we believe that safety should never come at a premium. Every worker, whether on a construction site, in a factory, on the road, or in a hospital, deserves access to certified protective equipment that keeps them safe.

Why This Matters

The UK’s current VAT rules create an unfair divide:

• Zero-rated PPE: Only safety boots and helmets.
• Standard-rated PPE (20% VAT): Gloves, goggles, masks, visors, respirators, high-visibility clothing, harnesses, fall arrest systems, ear defenders, and countless other items essential for safe work.

This inconsistency means that essential safety gear—approved to the same EN safety standards—is taxed differently depending on the item type, not its purpose.

It’s a contradiction: the government rightly encourages safety and compliance, yet the tax system penalises the very people trying to work safely.

Working at Height: The Deadliest Risk

Across the UK, falls from height remain the number one cause of fatalities and serious injuries in construction and maintenance. HSE data consistently shows that around one-third of all workplace deaths are due to falls from height—often preventable with the correct equipment.

Roofers, scaffolders, maintenance engineers, and even logistics workers using mezzanine storage or loading bays depend on harnesses, lanyards, and fall-arrest systems—all EN-stamped and safety-critical.

Yet these items still carry 20% VAT, making them needlessly expensive for apprentices, SMEs, and self-employed tradespeople—the groups least able to absorb these costs.

The Cost Barrier

For many workers, the upfront price of PPE is the biggest obstacle to staying compliant and safe. A standard EN 361 harness that should cost £120 ends up at £144 with VAT, while a full fall arrest kit rises from £350 to £420. Even a basic scaffolder’s starter kit — boots, helmet, gloves, hi-vis, harness, and lanyard — jumps from £550 to £660 simply because of VAT.

For an apprentice or new starter, that’s £100–£150 in unnecessary tax just to work safely. For a small business equipping a 10-person team, it’s £1,000–£1,500 every replacement cycle. And this isn’t limited to construction — when you factor in healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing, the total cost to UK workers becomes staggering.

Our Proposal

We are calling on the UK Government to:

• Extend VAT zero-rating to all EN-stamped PPE that meets UKCA or CE conformity standards.
• Prioritise fall-protection equipment, the leading cause of fatalities in UK construction.
• Ensure consistency across all sectors—so certified PPE for healthcare, utilities, and manufacturing receives equal treatment.
• Support SMEs, apprentices, and self-employed workers who cannot reclaim VAT but are required to provide or purchase compliant equipment.
• Review the impact after two years, measuring safety improvements and economic benefits to workers and employers alike.

A Safer, Fairer Future

During the pandemic, the UK temporarily zero-rated PPE to help frontline workers stay safe. It worked. Supply chains adapted, compliance improved, and lives were protected.

If it was right then, it’s right now.

As the Government plans to build 1.5 million homes, invest in construction skills, and boost UK manufacturing and infrastructure, it’s time to align fiscal policy with safety policy.

Removing VAT from all EN-stamped PPE is a simple, fair, and evidence-based reform that will:

• Save lives
• Lower costs for workers and small businesses
• Improve compliance and safety standards
• Support the UK’s growth and skills agenda

How You Can Help

• Sign our petition on the UK Government website (link to follow once live).
• Share this campaign with colleagues, trade associations, and safety representatives.
• Write to your MP, citing the unfairness of current PPE VAT rules.
• Join us on social media – use the hashtag #NoVATonSafety to show your support.